The rubbish collection from church was a day early because of the Good Friday holiday. Although I had not put the bin out, the dustman came up the steps for it and returned it there later. Lots of orders of service to print this week. I do Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day myself, since I have the orders from previous years on my computer.

April 2 – Maundy Thursday

A small congregation – just 9 of us, of whom I washed the feet of 5. I had arranged with the AA group who book the church on Thursdays that they would not come in until 7, but in fact we finished before then, perhaps because I forgot to announce the gradual hymn. Until last year, we used to get a key from Haga so that the AA group could meet there that night and we could offer a prayer vigil, but this was not well supported.

April 3 – Good Friday

As last year, the service was based on the words from the cross, with five wellknown hymns. Afterwards there were 19 in the flat for hot cross buns. When the crowds departed, I spent time with Tilak going over some problems with the web site, and so missed the first part of the Procession of Witness, but joined in the second part, from Götaplatsen to Domkyrkan. This is now sponsored by three Svenskakyrkan organizations (Domkyrkan, Stadsmissionen and Pilgrimscentrum) so it has lost the ecumenical dimension, but the priest who was leading it invited me to read the passage for the final station, on arrival in Domkyrkan.

April 4 – Pilgimage

Six people walked from Angered to Jennylund, with meditations on different meanings of the word “cross”. Three of us continued to Bohus Fästning, open for the first time this year.

April 5 Easter Day

Our Easter candle this year was painted by Gillian. We had a good congregation, with several first-time visitors including one from the USA. The children gathered round the Easter garden to hear the Easter story – part gospel, part sermon, part ad lib. In the afternoon I went to the Easter “manifestation” at Domkyrkan, a joyful gathering in the spring sunlight, with lots of balloons which we released at the end. I suggested that next year they should tie cards to the ends of the balloons wishing the finders a Happy Easter.